DEFENSE COMMUNITIES 360

Defense Spending Bill Would Limit Relocations to Nation’s Capital

The Pentagon would be restricted to spending no more than $500,000 in a single year to move any one activity to the National Capital Region, according to language in the fiscal 2013 defense spending bill approved by the House Defense Appropriations Subcommittee Tuesday.

The language also covers relocations within the Washington, D.C., metro area. The provision can be waived on a case-by-case basis, however, if DOD certifies that such a relocation is in the best interest of the government.

A separate provision in the measure would bar the department from establishing a field operating agency, or paying the salary of a service member or DOD civilian who is transferred from a headquarters activity if the individual’s place of duty remains at the headquarters location. The restriction can be waived if DOD determines that taking one of those actions would reduce its personnel or financial requirements.

The prohibition would not apply to National Intelligence Program operating agencies, an Army field agency created to counter the effects of improvised explosive devices or an Army field agency established to work with biometric technologies.

The FY 2013 spending bill provides $519 billion in discretionary spending for defense programs, a $1.1 billion increase over current year spending and $3.1 billion more than the administration requested. The spending level exceeds the cap in the Budget Control Act by $8 billion, however, likely forcing a compromise with Senate Democrats on the spending total later this year.